As promised, 6.5 diesel AMC Eagle video.
Posted by Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 36 comments
If you’d like to know more, I encourage you to read my previous post in this subreddit. It’s a little over 5,000 words and goes over a nut-and-bolt component and fitment overview, documents my primary and future struggles, my hopes and dreams for the car and reasonings why, talks about the 6.2/6.5, with a bit of trivia here and there along the way. It’s kind of like condensing a bunch of individual progress posts into one big blob.
The car isn’t yet roadworthy, but is getting there, so for my first “real” project I’m proud of what’s been accomplished so far.
IvoryCustoms@reddit
1984K10@reddit
This is perfect and I am very jealous.
Mottsmatots@reddit
Sounds and looks awesome! I had an SX4 eagle for awhile! Jeep 4.0 swap with solid axles, 4.10 gearing. Built on the cheap and broke something everytime we wheeled it but I still miss it.... sometimes
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
That’s wild! My mother’s wagon will hopefully receive a RENIX 4.0 (maybe a budget stroker since I still have the good bottom end out of my SX/4) sometime this year to get it back on the road. Previous owner drove the wagon to and from work on a blown head gasket for several years and ruined pretty much everything worth ruining in the engine.
crescentfreshchester@reddit
2001 was the last good AMC Jeep Cherokee. The Grand Cherokee was mainly Chrysler influence. And the electronics they tried in 2002-2006 was miserable. Ofc if you know the failure points it wasnt that bad. But still. The ECM BCM was terrible in the sunset years of AMC/ beginning of Chrysler Jeep 2002-2006. I am still upset about the 4.0 being retired. Makes no damn sense. Inline engines are just inherently better. Especially after they reinforced the newer blocks.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
IMO the best 4.0’s were made at the tail end of AMC’s life, 87-89. Better low end torque, generally superior efficiency. Downsides are it’s tough to interpret data from them and their iffy closed cooling system, easily upgraded. The longer the 4.0 went into Chrysler’s tenure the worse it got, but it was never a “bad” engine by any means, just accumulated more and more quibbles. Coil packs, OPDA, etc etc…
Mottsmatots@reddit
Sounds fun and glad to hear your putting another back on the road! I actually did know about the TJ handles, needed to order some myself and they're the cheapest option
matthewamerica@reddit
I don't know who you are, but I enjoy your antics.
josephfuckingsmith1@reddit
I miss my old eagle
SenseWinter@reddit
You sold that?!
josephfuckingsmith1@reddit
Yep lmao. I haven’t went a week without thinking about it too
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
Nice SAS!
6inarowmakesitgo@reddit
Is it four wheel drive too?
Mr_Diesel13@reddit
I had a neighbor that delivered mail in one of these. I always thought it was cool.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
They are neat old cars with a surprising amount of provenance to them. Their basic unibody originates from the 1979 AMC Hornet. Compare a picture of a Hornet and an Eagle from the A pillar back, the similarities are particularly obvious between wagons.
OuttHouseMouse@reddit
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
🤣
IRingTwyce@reddit
As the owner of a GMC pickup with the 6.5, I'm going to assume you picked that motor because you had it laying around.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
Nope, I went out of my way to acquire it.
It’s not a run of the mill 6.5, I’m fully aware of all their problems and have lots of experience with them, as I go over in my previous post. This is an Optimizer, which I’m sure you’ve heard of. I don’t want gobs of power, I want to hear a V8, see a V8 when I open the hood, still have AWD, and hopefully get 25+mpg while accomplishing all of that.
IRingTwyce@reddit
They're definitely good for MPGs. Hopefully you have better luck than I do keeping it running!
CrazyTechWizard96@reddit
Man, that thing sounds nnnnnaaaaasty!
I love it!
Been thinking about some Offroad Diesel build out of a Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ, yet want to either go the 5.9 24V cummins route or M57d30 swap.
The former would be harder yet fun, the latter... Mmm... Always wanted some Diesel Beamer, tho, unless I say fuck it and get anther E39 Touring wich is gutted and looks even worse then the one I'm stillr estoring and tuning, eh, not sure.
Tho, thinking about a E39 lifted Diesel Touring offroader would be hilariouse too.
Did enough light duty offroad shit with the lowerd gasser with the M54 in it, wich is pretty much the Bavarian 4.0.
Had a '95 ZJ with a Turbo 4.0 in it, that thing was cool, a '01 WJ with a Turbo 3.1L i5 (yes, Inline 5 eurospec) wich was great and made about the same torque if not more then the 5.2L V8, tho that 3.1 sucked ass post 80K miles, well, and some methed up bitch managed to almost kill Me while I was driving it.
Elsewise, if I still had that WJ, might've M57 swapped it.
Still funny when You do clean drift and speed builts but also love offroad builts and do that too.
Guess that makes Me BI if it comes to shit, then toss in muscle cars and yea, eh, I just love a lot of cool shit.
But yea, till Ido some Diesel builts, gotta get some other projects done and get me a propr shop and find Me the right offroad ones in question.
Likely something from NM or Texas, clean, pretty much fried and elsewise calpped out and just do something almost like a redneck baja built and send it, oooh boy it's going to be fun!
But eh, gonna take a while, love Your built tho, man!
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
Thanks! All of that stuff sounds like a huge undertaking, but worth it if you enjoy it. This engine only needs wiring to the starter, glow plugs and shutoff solenoid, and hooked up to the stock fuel system, which is part of why I enjoy it.
thepvbrother@reddit
meatbutters@reddit
Shit look like a car in GTA.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
It is sure to confuse people at the pump. Only after being informed that I’m putting diesel in the car would they ask what car it actually is…
anOnionFinelyMinced@reddit
Your basic zombie apocalypse car.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
It would do okay as one!
anOnionFinelyMinced@reddit
Just needs spikes on the front bumper. 😈
My brother had an Eagle back in the 90s and it was pretty much a tank. Kudos to you on this project. That thing looks and sounds awesome.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
Any more weight on the front bumper and it would need stiffer springs. The extra 200lbs of engine is just barely accounted for via rack and pinion steering swap, no external belt driven accessories save for a mini alternator, and a battery relocation. There are pictures of the engine bay in the other post, so feel free to check it out at your leisure.
anOnionFinelyMinced@reddit
I did check out the other post! I'm pretty handy if you give me a decent socket set and a youtube video, but reengineering everything from the firewall forward like this is pretty much magic to me.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
It’s still magic to me. Just goes to show the power of planning, adaptation, and taking things one step at a time. It’s been a huge lesson in both humility and self forgiveness to get this far.
Tyler5280@reddit
This is batshit insane and I love it. I had a neighbor who had a the Wagon in brown and woodgrain glory, a 914, and a lifted ram charger pickup. I still think about how cool that garage was to this day.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
Jealous of the Eagle/914 synergy for sure. I’ve kind of wanted to diesel swap a 914 too……
H2Dcrx@reddit
Thats amazing. I still remember mid 90s my neighbor had one (obviously not diesel) and it was heavy snow like 10 inches and he took me around in that thing and it was awesome. Such a neat car.
Eagle-Enthusiast@reddit (OP)
Thanks! I love that so many people have stories about these cars, it’s wild how many gas station conversations happened back when I drove an Eagle wagon. Very capable little machines.
txkwatch@reddit
Awesome